Trimming attachment for sewing-machines.



110,735,599. I PATENTED AUG. 11, 1903.

. B. BISSINGER.

TRIMMING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES;

u APPLICATION FILED 00131. 1902.

N0 KODEL.

24: /6 2 9- 1" 4 I o y/ UNITED STATES Patented August 11, 1903.

PATENT 'QFFICE.

BENJAMIN BISSINGER, OF OHATTANOOGAJTENNESSEE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 735,699, dated. Augustll, 1903.

.Applicationfiled October 31,1902. ,Serial No. 129,601. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN BISSINGER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chattanooga, in the county of Hamilton and State ofTennessee, have invented a certain new and useful Cutting and TrimmingAttachment for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

Myinvention relates to cutting and trimming attachments forsewing-machines of the kind that is adapted to be operated by thereciprocating needle-bar or some similar reciprocating part of thesewing-machine and is arranged to be moved into position to be operatedby such reciprocating part or to be entirely thrown out of action,accordingly as some part or parts of the attachment are adjusted.

My invention consists of an improved attachment of this character, andin order that it may be more readily understood I have in theaccompanying drawings illustrated the preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of my invention,enough of the head of a sewing-machine to illustrate the relations ofthe attachment to those parts of the-machine with which it is combinedbeing shown and the cutter being represented in its inactive position.Fig. 2 is a side view of the attachment in working position. Fig. .3 isa central vertical section of the pressure-foot and cutting attachmentdrawn to a larger scale than in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a perspectiveview of the pressure-foot, parts being broken away. Fig. 5 is a top planview of the attachment. I

In thedrawings, A represents the head of a sewing-machine, which may beof any usual or preferred construction. In it are mounted the usualreciprocating needle-bar l3 and the bar or rod 0, carrying thepresser-foot D, the latter being controlled by a cam-lever E in theusual way. I prefer to mount my cutting attachment upon thepresser-foot, for which purpose its construction is somewhat altered inthe manner hereinafter pointed out to receive the parts which itcarries.

The standard or shank 2 of the presser-foot, by means of which it isconnected with its supporting-bar O, is preferably provided with avertical slot 3, in which is mounted the lever 4. I prefer that thepivot for the lever should be in the lower part of the slot and that itshould pass through the lever near one of its ends. 6 designates a linkor arm to the outer end of which is secured the cutter or knife 7, itsouter end being pivotally connected at 11 with the outer or longer armof the lever 4. The pivot or joint 11, connecting the knife-carrying arm6 with the lever 4, constitutes the fulcrum for the former, about whichit moves when in operation. The outer or free end of the arm 6 isheld ina raised position by a spring 8, preferably of coiled construction, uponwhich the arm bears, and this spring is mounted in a tubular support 9,carriedby the presser-foot and arranged between the shank or stemthereof and the throat 10, through which the cutter is adapted tooperate. This tubular support is preferably slotted to permit the arm topass through it and bear directly upon the end of the spring.

With the parts constructed as shown in the drawings when the attachmentis in inactive position, as represented in Fig. 1, the lever 4 occupiesa substantially vertical position, standing in the slot 3 in the shankof the presser-foot, while the arm 6 is substantially horizontal. Itwill be seen that ,when the parts are thus disposed the pivot 11 ismoved back from the needle-bar, so that the arm 6 is drawn back out ofthe path of the needlebar. When the parts are moved into the activeposition, as indicated in Fig. 2-that is, when the outer and longer armof the lever is swung toward the needie-bar--the fulcrum of theknife-carrying arm is carried toward the needle-barand is at the sametime depressed. Thismovementcarriestheknifebar into a position in thepath of a contactpiece I) of the reciprocating needle-bar, so that ateach downward movement of the latter it engages the knife-arm andcarries it downward, causing the knife to cut the fabric which may beunder the presser-foot, as will be readily understood. As has beenstated, the forward movement of the lever 4 also carries the fulcrumll'down'ward, and as the knife-carrying arm 6 rests freely upon thespring this downward movement of the fulcrum causes the arm to occupy aninclined position, its pivoted end being 'low and its outer free endlifted. As the descending needle-bar engages with the outer end of thearm G the cutter is carried downward into engagement with the fabric andthe spring 8 is compressed. ()n the reverse movement of the needle-barthe spring lifts the arm, carrying it back to the position indicated inFig.

Any suitable means may be provided for operating the lever 1- andholding it in the two positions described. For this purpose I prefer,however, to provide the lever with an arm 13, so disposed that when theparts are moved into the inactive position (represented in Fig. 1) itlies substantially parallel with the presser-foot, where it may be heldby a catch device 14, preferably carried bya heel or extension plate 15of the presserfoot. lVhen the parts are moved into the operative orcutting position, the arm is disposed alongside of the shank of thepresser-foot, where it may beheld by the catch device 16. I prefer toconstruct the support or holder 9 for the spring of a tube externallyscrew-threaded to engage with a threaded aperture in the presser-footand having its upper end closed by a screw threaded cap 17. When thespring-case is thus constructed, the slots in the tube through which thearm 6 extends are carried quite up to the outer end of the case. Byremoving the screw-cap 17 the arm (3 may be removed and access had tothe spring, which can be taken out or replaced when desired.

It will be observed that the lever t and the arm 13 when constructed andarranged as shown together constitute a bell-crank lever, to the end ofone arm or limb of which is pivoted the knife-carrying arm 6, while theother arm or limb constitutes a means for holding the parts in theposition to which they may be adjusted.

My attachment may be used in connection with anyof the usual makes ofsewing-machines and with either one or two needle machines, as desired.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent,

l. The combination with a reciprocating part of a sewing-machine, of aknife-carrying i vsacee arm arranged to be operated thereby, a belleranklever to one limb of which the knifecarrying arm is pivoted, theopposite limb serving as a means for holding the parts in the positionto which they may be adjusted, and a pivot for such lever arranged asdescribed, whereby as the lever is adjusted the connection of theknife-carrying arm therewith is moved toward and from the reciprocatingpart of the sewingmachine, substantially as set forth.

2. In a trimming attachment for sewingmachines, the combination with apresserfoot and the needle-bar of a sewing-machine, of a lever pivotedto the presser-foot, a knifecarrying arm pivotally connected with thesaid lever, means for moving the lever so as to carry the knife-carryingarm into position to be operated by the needle-bar, and into an inactiveposition out of the path of the needle-bar, substantially as set forth.

3. In a trimming attachment for sewingmachines, the combination with theneedlebar and presser-foot, of a lever supported thereby, aknife-carrying arm pivotally connected with the said lever, means formoving the lever so as to bring the knife-carrying arm into position tobe operated by the needle-bar, and a spring supported upon thepresser-foot with which the knife-carrying arm engages arranged to liftthe same after it has severed the fabric, substantially as set forth.

4. In a trimming attachment, the combination with a needle-bar andpresser-foot of a sewing-machine, of a lever 4t pivoted to the shank ofthe presser-foot, a knife-carrying arm 6 pivotally connected with thesaid lever, a spring 8 upon which the knife-carrying arm bears, a case 9supported by the presser-foot in which the spring is mounted, an arm 13for moving the lever to carry the knife-arm into and out of activeposition, and catch devices for holding the parts in the positions towhich they may be adjusted, substantially as set forth.

BENJAMIN BISSINGER.

Witnesses:

J. H. MCLEAN, M. J. HAYES.

